Master of Business Administration

Four Locations in Classroom or Online option Now Available

Earn your MBA degree in the classroom at Southpointe, Cranberry, Monroeville, Waynesburg or online. The MBA program gives you the flexibility to include a graduate degree into your busy lifestyle.

The MBA degree will provide you with a real-world overview of business organization and enterprise by developing and refining your business knowledge and skills in such areas as economics, statistics, marketing, organizational behavior, accounting, finance and management information systems.

You create your MBA concentration from the following options:

Applied Business

Energy Management

Finance

Human Resources/Leadership

Health Systems Administration

Market Development

Project Management

See what our recent graduates have to say about the program.

You will learn from facilitators who are experts in their fields and live what they teach every day. These facilitators are with you every step of the way as you work to earn your MBA Degree.

Waynesburg's MBA Program is located at four convenient centers in the Pittsburgh region including Monroeville, Cranberry, Southpointe and Waynesburg.

Flex Scheduling permits you to take classes at your own pace with accelerated 8-week class sessions, six times within a calendar year

Accreditation

The Department of Business Administration at Waynesburg University has been granted first-time accreditation for a seven-year period by the International Assembly for Collegiate Business Education (IACBE) located at 11374 Strang Line Road in Lenexa, Kansas, USA. The IACBE has accredited the business programs in the following degrees:

Bachelor of Science, with majors/concentrations/specializations/emphases in Accounting, Forensic Accounting, Public Accounting, Entrepreneurship, Finance, International Business, Management, Marketing, and Sports Management

Admission Requirements

To be considered for admission into the MBA program, the student must submit the following:

Completed Application

An official transcript indicating a Bachelor of Science or Bachelor of Arts degree earned at an accredited college or university

Official transcripts of all other undergraduate and graduate coursework (request forms available below)

A current resumé

Two completed reference forms (form available below)

In order to be admitted to the program, the student must have:

Graduated from an accredited four-year college or university, GPA 3.0 or higher

Be 25 years of age or older, and

Must have 3 years of significant post-baccalaureate business experience.

Students whose native language is not English must also submit an official report of TOEFL scores or other indication of competency in English. Students seeking admission into a graduate business program may be offered regular or conditional admission. The Director of the MBA Program will review each student's educational background and work experience to determine the student's admission status. Regular admission will be offered to students who demonstrate that they have the preparation necessary to successfully complete the program.

Meet the Directors

Master of Business Administration

Curriculum

The MBA Program at Waynesburg University is comprised of a 36 credit hour curriculum. This includes nine core classes that all students must complete with three elective classes that fall into one of six concentrations of your choice.

Required Courses for All MBA Students

Accounting Concepts & Applications

Seminar in Applied Economics

International Business

Financial Management OR Financial Management in Healthcare

Organizational Behavior

Management Information Systems

Marketing Management

Statistical Methods

Management Policy

MBA Degree Tracks

Applied Business

MBA candidates will develop quantitative techniques, study interpersonal relationships within organizations and integrate the various areas of business through case studies and written and oral presentations.

Energy Management

MBA candidates will gain an understanding of all energy sources available globally and how those resources impact business decisions and the environment. Included in the curriculum is supply chain and project management.

Finance

MBA candidates will advance their financial skills through an intense hands-on curriculum. The focus of the finance concentration includes advanced accounting concepts, risk analysis of investments to create an optimal financial portfolio and international financial theories.

Health Systems Administration

MBA candidates will develop an innovative understanding of the healthcare system in a variety of organized delivery system management scenarios. Laws and ethical issues will be discussed. Students will learn how to transform data into evidence based decision-making.

Human Resources/Leadership

MBA candidates who choose this concentration will develop knowledge in human resources while becoming leaders in their field. Students become astute business leaders in the areas of organizational leadership, change and conflict resolution.

Market Development

MBA candidates will become shrewd marketers by honing their skills in diverse marketing concepts including consumer behavior, product and pricing policies, distribution channels, advertising and professional selling.

Project Management

This concentration is designed to prepare and educate students on the fundamentals of project management that will enable them to lead projects/programs in their own fields. The concentration in project management will provide students with valuable knowledge, networks, and resources to advance their careers in the field of project management.

Course Descriptions

BUS 507. Advanced Financial Accounting Procedures 3 credits

An advanced course in financial accounting. Emphasizes the external uses of accounting information by those who perform controller functions. Includes balance sheet, income statement of cash flows, accounting cycles, etc. Analyzes the effect of alternate accounting procedures in financial reporting. Prerequisites: BUS 526 and 558.

BUS 515. Healthcare Systems 3 credits

This course serves as an introduction to the analysis, structure, and management of healthcare services in the United States. The course will cover topics such as comparisons of international health systems, organized delivery systems, legal considerations in healthcare, stakeholder management, finance management and reimbursement, human resource issues, financing, marketing, information systems, hospital history and organization, ambulatory care, physician practice management, managed care, quality assurance, and compliance program development. Particular emphasis will be given to the administrator’s role in a variety of organized delivery system management scenarios.

BUS 516. Law and Ethics in Health Systems 3 credits

Law and ethics continue to take center stage in the healthcare industry. This course introduces students to a wide range of laws and ethical issues of importance to traditional and non¬traditional healthcare organizations such as: acute care, long-term care, home health, practice management, managed care, and academe.

BUS 517. Information, Productivity and Outcomes 3 credits

Information is central to the effective and efficient management and functioning of healthcare organizations. This course provides students with the latest knowledge about the gathering, use, maintenance, storage, and retrieval of information. Emphasis is placed on transforming data into information. Units of content also examine concepts related to quality improvement initiatives, outcomes measurement, and the transformation of data into useful information in decision-making.

BUS 518. Supply Chain Management 3 credits

This course will provide students with a broad view of the supply chain concept, as well as an in-depth analysis of individual firms’ efforts in the field. The topics to be covered include logistics, transportation, inventory management and warehousing, materials management, global supply, demand management, e-commerce, finance, and network design.

BUS 519. Evolving the Entrepreneurial Spirit 3 credits

This course will examine the various entrepreneurial roles in business development. Topics covered will include: differences and similarities between individual, corporate, group, women and male entrepreneurs; how one can identify and nurture entrepreneurial spirit, determining when entrepreneurial spirit is required to develop new vision, new business models, and when this becomes a hindrance to conducting business. Students will execute group and individual projects examining their particular interest. Prerequisite: BUS 575.

BUS 525. E-Commerce 3 credits

Examines the unique characteristics of electronic commerce as applied to large and small businesses engaged in manufacturing, distribution, and providing services. Topics include: Government regulation and intervention, selection of technology and applications, strategic issues and implications, marketing implications, basic building blocks required for effective implementation of e-commerce initiatives, and the growth of global e-commerce. Course employs case studies, trade journal readings and other material.

BUS 526. Accounting Concepts & Applications 3 credits

The use of detailed accounting information to effect control of corporate operations is studied. Based on a firm understanding of accounting principles and procedures, the course extends data collection to data interpretation via accounting information systems. Non-accounting majors will realize the usefulness of accounting data in forecasting, planning, budgeting, costing, variance analysis, and monitoring.

BUS 527. Energy Management & Strategy 3 credits

New and exciting course that will introduce students to an overview of the Energy field. The course will discuss current sources of energy, such as coal, natural gas, and petroleum and explore new sources including the Marcellus Shale. Topics will include renewable energy that focuses on sustainability such as wind and hydroelectric opportunities for the future.

BUS 528. Seminar in Applied Economics 3 credits

This course concentrates on the practical uses of economic theory in managing the firm, including microeconomic and macroeconomic topics. It is concerned with theory of the firm, production and costs, pricing, equilibrium, demand forecasting, factor pricing, market structure, input/output analysis, and aggregate economic parameters that impact efficient resource allocation. Specific firm and industry examples are developed throughout the course.

BUS 529. Ethical Decision Making 3 credits

This course provides a study of the changing environments of business and the consequent changing role of business in society. The theory of capitalism is fully developed and related to modern American business. Topics such as social values, corporate power, pluralism, social responsibility, and business ethics are addressed. Contemporary issues such as pollution, consumerism, and urban decay are viewed from the perspective of the business manager. Governmental regulations and policies are shown to have a significant effect on the firm. The future of business, government, and society is debated.

BUS 535. International Business 3 credits

This course is a study of the world market and an analysis of economic, political, cultural, and business trends as they influence the multinational corporation. Risk taking, financing, and investment are considered. Marketing variations among countries are discussed. Students are required to prepare a research report on the operation of a corporation doing business abroad or of another country’s business system.

BUS 536. Project Management 3 credits

Effective project management is potentially the most important aspect in business as it relates to overall financial impact, competitiveness, and business survival. Topics of study will include basic project management concepts, project selection, project team building, conflict, and negotiation, risk management, scheduling, cost analysis, budgeting, evaluation and control, and resource management.

BUS 538. Power, Culture, and Leadership 3 credits

This course reviews theoretical and practical approaches to influencing and motivating people. It explores relative effectiveness of various leadership styles, different motivation theories, and power tactics from a managerial point of view. Experience-based learning methods are used to aid diagnosis and understanding of individual influencing styles. Prerequisite: BUS 575.

BUS 539. Leading Organizational Change 3 credits

Theories of organizational change and the change agent’s role in the process are explored. Barriers to change are identified and strategies for organizational transformation developed. Potential topics for qualitative action research within the learner’s own organization are generated. Prerequisite: BUS 575.

BUS 545. Employment Law 3 credits

This course is intended to provide the student with an understanding of current legal issues in the area of employer/employee relations. Emphasis is on both the federal and state regulatory environment applicable to employment law. Areas covered include the basis for the employer-employment relationship, pre-employment relationship, pre-employment concerns, and legal aspects of the employment relationship, discrimination issues, termination of the employer-employee relationship, and ethical issues in employment law. Prerequisite: BUS 575.

BUS 546. Risk and Budget Management

The purpose of this class is to understand and apply appropriate techniques to plan, monitor, and control work packages in projects in view of risks that may develop during the course of the project. The course focuses on cost budget development and control and on the management of project-related risk. The course aims to facilitate students' learning through their development of a comprehensive project plan. The course also explores the six risk-management processes as outlined in the PMBOK(R) Guide: risk management planning, risk identification, qualitative risk analysis, quantitative risk analysis, risk-response planning, and risk monitoring and control.

BUS 548. Procurement and Contracts

The goal of this class is to introduce the student to some of the tools and constraints associated with managing both small and large project contracts, including procurement approaches. More specifically, this class is to demonstrate how project managers handle contracts and coordinate the procurement process. The course will also identify issues relating to contracts, including tendering, bidding, and order management processes, as well as the legal and commercial implications.

BUS 558. Financial Management 3 credits

Development of tools, concepts, and techniques of financial analysis are applied to corporate decision making. Topics addressed include goal setting, working capital management, financial forecasting, capital budgeting, and funds acquisition. Students are exposed to problems, cases, and reports in order to apply their analytical skills. Special attention is given to the dynamics of the financial market and its impact on the firm. Prerequisite: BUS 526.

BUS 559. Portfolio Management 3 credits

Security analysis and investment. Determination of the optimal portfolio mix. A study of the financial market and its operation, investment banking, the risk characteristics of stock and bonds, valuation, capital structure theory, leverage, balance and diversification of fixed versus variable rate securities, and the relationships of securities to alternative investment opportunities. Students will simulate the acquisition and management of a securities portfolio. Evaluation of the operating performance of the portfolio is a course requirement. Prerequisite: BUS 558.

BUS 566. Behavioral Interviewing 3 credits

This course examines the process of interviewing prospective candidates for a position, using a particular style of questioning, known as behavioral interviewing. Legal issues are addressed. Students practice behavioral interviewing and determine strategies for creating an effective climate for successful interviews. Prerequisite: BUS 575.

BUS 567. Conflict Resolution 3 credits

This course will require students to utilize knowledge and skills that have been developed in prior coursework and in their outside, personal and professional environments. In addition to learning new concepts, students will be required to utilize what they have acquired in the past in order to understand and resolve typical and yet sometimes complex real-life interactions.

BUS 569. Consumer Behavior 3 credits

The purpose of this course is for the student to develop an understanding of the intriguing and dynamic field of consumer behavior. Although traditional theoretical perspectives of buyer behavior form the foundation of the course, new and emerging topics both in theory and in practice will cultivate the students’ contemporary understanding of customer behavior. The student will gain knowledge of all aspects of the consumer process including pre-acquisition, consumption, post-acquisition decisions. Consumer behavior theory will be introduced and applied to “real-world” marketing situations. Prerequisite: BUS 578.

BUS 576. Management Information Systems 3 credits

This course integrates data processing with the development of management information for decision-making. The interface between computer science and business and education is explored, particularly with respect to rapidly changing technology in information science and its effect on decision-making. Topics relative to the enhancement of decision-making are explored, including behavioral and quantitative information.

BUS 578. Marketing Management 3 credits

The role of marketing in the goals of maximization of owner and consumer well being are studied. The course stresses the environmental posture of marketing, including both exogenous and endogenous influences. Topics include marketing and change, the marketing concept, the systems perspective, consumer behavior, marketing strategy, marketing organization, product and price policies, promotion and distribution policies. The student will participate in case analysis as well as in an interactive marketing simulation. Prerequisite: BUS 526 and BUS 558.

BUS 579. Advanced Project /Portfolio Management

The aim of this course is to examine how managers plan, budget, schedule and control multi-project programs within an organizational context. It includes the importance of project teams and human resource management in the process. Topics include the role of projects in organizations; alternative organizational systems; program planning, budgeting, monitoring, control and management methodologies; team management and leadership; legal and ethical issues; conflict identification and resolution; portfolio management, project management cycles, resource management, change management, and advanced applications of project management software.

BUS 584. Advanced Finance 3 credits

The goal of this course is built upon the principles discussed in Financial Management. Major topics and areas to be covered include role of the financial manager, portfolio theory, asset pricing models, derivatives and risk management, capital budgeting, capital structure and value-based management, tactical financing decisions, and special topics such as mergers and multinational financial management. Prerequisite: BUS 558.

BUS 585. Statistical Methods 3 credits

Application of classical and Bayesian statistics to business data. An examination of probability, inferential testing, sequential decision making, least squares regression, multiple regression and correlation analysis. Problem solving takes place in the classroom and through computer assisted instruction. A research design project is required.

BUS 586. High Performance Team Development 3 credits

This course provides team leaders and members with the tools to develop and sustain effective teamwork. The tools to be considered will contain strategies and tactics to achieve the outcomes of a shared vision, individual and mutual responsibility, and perpetual development of communication processes, strong unified relationships, and the coordination of effort among team members. Prerequisite: BUS 575.

BUS 587. Financial Management in Healthcare 3 credits

This course provides students with knowledge and skills necessary to make sense of financial information used to manage traditional and non-traditional healthcare organizations. The course presents healthcare financing on a broad base by introducing the student to such topics as organization of financial management, third party payment methodologies, budget and capital development, financial planning, financial reporting, cost accounting and analysis, and rate setting. The course focuses on students with non-financial backgrounds, providing them with fundamental concepts and skills that are applicable to any healthcare organization. Prerequisite: BUS 526 or NUR 589.

BUS 588. Advertising 3 credits

A study of advertising as part of the marketing mix in business today. Topics discuss ethical viewpoints, marketing and consumer behavior, advertising strategy, research, creative strategies, media choices and planning, and interactive advertising utilizing the web. This course examines real-life advertising campaigns, their effects on society and creative challenges that direct media choices. The development of a complete advertising campaign including media analysis is a major requirement of this course. Prerequisite: BUS 578.

This course investigates the nature of personal selling, its relationship to the promotional mix and its importance to the economy. It will also examine the mechanics, methodologies, behavioral skills and communication skills essential for successful selling. Customer Relationship Management (CRM) and the use of the social networking will be incorporated as part of a comprehensive analysis of the selling process from product knowledge, prospecting, identifying customer needs and presenting the best possible solution for the customer. Prerequisite: BUS 578.

BUS 595/596. Special Topics 3 credits

A survey of selected topics in business administration to include advanced study in international business, management, finance, accounting, economics and marketing. The special topic course may include a University-led international business trip. This is an elective course for students who want to participate in the trip, but have fulfilled BUS 535 International Business course requirement.

BUS 599. Management Policy 3 credits

This is the capstone course for students completing the MBA program. Taken near or at the end of the program, the course is designed to integrate the functional areas of accounting, finance, management, and marketing, and is patterned after the Harvard case method. Students are drawn into the problem-solving process through extensive out-of-class reading, analysis, and study group interaction via a computer simulation, as well as written communication. Communication skills are refined in the classroom by panel discussions and oral reports. The Major Fields Test is given and is a requirement to complete the course. Prerequisites: 30 credit hours in the graduate program, including BUS 526, BUS 528, BUS 535, BUS 558 OR BUS 587, BUS 575, BUS 576, BUS 578 AND BUS 585.